Heading Home

This is one worn out Brittany! Picture book points, nice retrieves, super finding dead and eating 10 Rimadyl- this boy did it all. The Rimadyl incident got him Hydrogen Peroxide squirted down his throat- to make him vomit- and a trip to the vet. Looks like he'll be fine. While at the vet, a Lab with a snoot full of porcupine quills and a Lab with a shoulder cut came in. Ah, memories of past hunts....

Only 1489 more miles to go.

Last Day- Wow, it was a beauty!

Folks, it's been a great trip. From 70 to 17 degrees and calm to 60 mph winds. We saw some wonderful dog work and some other kind, too. But overall, the dogs were awesome and I wouldn't part with any of them. The birds are plentiful and that always makes for a great trip. Most of all, the memories are stored forever somewhere- to be resurrected with a smell or a cool breeze or the sounds of a flushing bird. Too many times, I will remember a bird flushing, the shot and the retrieve and not remember the state or the year. That's a good situation to be in, I guess. I hope you will end up having too many good memories, too.

Lord only knows when the next trip will be- maybe a month or two down the road. Maybe to SD again for pheasant or NM for blue quail.....we'll see about that. In the meantime, there are trials to win (field trials), dogs to train and wives to placate. Later.

This is Nathan, Daniel O'Brien's young Lab. In one week of being on birds, he's a bird dog now. What a lovable hunting companion! I told Dennis to just leave him in my truck and I'd take care of him- probably just take him home. I know BJ would like to keep this one!!

End of the Day

Cold, hungry, tired. What a great day! Thank you, Lord.

Sorry

Ever apologise to your dog? I am sorry Ace for my poor shooting. There- I said it. Sheesh!

Windchill -2

Nice day. Putting out now. We'll see.

Yikes- the storm is passing!

28 deg. and wind at 30 kts! Another peaceful hunting day on the plains. I went out this morning to let the dogs out and the first gust took my breath away. They are calling for peak gust to be 50 kts!! But then it will slow down a little by 3pm and the temp will drop. It looks like a day for all those fancy clothes my wife keeps wondering about.....wool Elmer Fudd hat, wool windproof Barbour sweater and Barbour coat, Filson double tin chaps, etc. Actually, it may be fun for a little while. We found an entirely new area just at dark yesterday and we are anxious to get over there. I'm thinking the birds will be holding tight in this weather- this is way past a windy day. We'll see.

Storm's a brewing...

Temp has dropped 7 deg in one hour and wind is steady at 25. kts. Tomorrow will be colder than a well digger's rear pocket. The good news is the wind will pick up! These folks are tough. Limit by 2.

Bo the Old Campaigner

11 years old and he still has it! He shows me every day that a little gray on the muzzle doesn't mean you can't do the job. It's obvious that what he lacks in speed and endurance is more than compensated by wisdom and experience. You go, Bo!

Hunting the open prairie

School is still out on the better pheasant dog. I hate to say it and I'm biased as all get out, but my Lab friends are shooting just as many birds as me and getting their limits just as early, too. I suppose it's just what you like. I have a hard time thinking that a field of CRP with the pheasant holding won't be an advantage for the pointing dog- evidently it's not. Well, I am still partial to my setters and brit, but you gotta love a Lab, too! Investigation continues!!

Dennis and Nathan

This is Nathan's first trip- and he's a good one. Just a young pup, he's doing it all.

Randy and Ace with the Limit

We ran into some guys complaining about the birds jumping early and how hard it was to limit...guess they needed a good dog. We kidded each other and wished them good luck. It's all about having a good time, and for me it's
all about the dogs. If I didn't have them, I wouldn't be here.

Birds in Wheatfield

Just driving out after hunting all day, the biggest problem is taking a bird in the windshield. Dennis took one in the left front and broke one of his lights already. They don't photgraph well with the equipment I have, but, really, there's a bunch of them.

The birds a very plentiful this year. Here are a few just sitting around along the road.

What a view!

Hunting here is incredibly beautiful. On a day like today, you can see all the way into next week....

Perfect 3 for 3

Peaches does the job!

Ideal Weather.

Hmm! Nobody out today but me....what's up with these country club, fairweather, made out of sugar wimps. (They are warm and dry- that's what!)

Trappers Cafe

Great motel and cafe. I check into the house today and will be hunting old favorites-in the rain. It looks pretty nasty and , while I'm equipped for it, it makes for a tough day. Temp is 40's today so it should be ok. I'd rather have snow, however.

Prairie Humor

Yikes! Looks like we have a case of drunken broom flying at the Davis Ranch near 3 V's Crossing, ND.

3's the limit

And it didn't take very long either. Lots of birds on the ground. Good dog work.

North Dakota

ND has been called "A drinking state with a hunting problem" and it's funny but there is probably no truth to it. The picture shows typical country. Can you spot the pheasant in the tree? I can't wait to put a dog on the ground!